shadow puppets
by Northlight
Summary: Fifty short stories about Mireille and Kirika, written for the 1sentence community.


**01 comfort**

Mireille does not know how to offer comfort; Kirika finds Mireille's promise and steady hand the only comfort she's ever known.

**02 kiss**

Mireille might have brushed a kiss against Kirika's cheek (against the corner of her lips)--if only they were not already far too much to each other.

**03 soft**

Kirika should not feel soft; but does, curled quietly at Mireille's side.

**04 pain**

Pain makes Kirika feel real--reminds her that she is more than a tool of tempered steel; Kirika gasps and curls around her wound, and does not see Mireille's mouth thin with fear.

**05 potatoes**

Mireille does not like mashed potatoes: they are filling, but terribly boring; across the table, Kirika scrapes her plate clean.

**06 rain**

They have no umbrella; it is unfortunate, then, that their sins are too great to be washed away by the day's long rainfall.

**07 chocolate**

Mireille brings home chocolate--a causal, and easily denied gift; Kirika licks her fingers clean, the box empty at her elbow.

**08 happiness**

Mireille does not believe in happy endings, and Kirika doesn't even imagine that they might exist (they're happy together, and hardly even notice).

**09 telephone**

Like that old childhood game, the meaning behind Noir distorts with each passing generation--together, they find a new meaning, and make Noir their own.

**10 ears**

Kirika turns away from the window; Mireille is tucking a strand of hair behind her ear--too deep in thought to notice how Kirika stares.

**11 name**

Kirika likes the sound of Mireille's name; she likes, too, that Mireille is always there to hear when Kirika speaks it.

**12 sensual**

A realization, while watching Mireille run her hands across the fine fabric of her dress, her eyes slitted in pleasure: Mireille is dangerous in a way Kirika will never be.

**13 death**

Death isn't the stuff of friendship--but then, they aren't friends.

**14 sex**

Kirika turns under the covers, her arm brushing against Mireille's; tense all over again, Mireille thinks that it's been too long since she's taken a lover.

**15 touch**

Everything Kirika touches is a weapon; Mireille is unsure whether she ought to feel pity or envy (but knows this, with certainty: there is wisdom in the cold thread of fear running down her spine).

**16 weakness**

Perhaps she is weak to let Kirika live, but strength is too much to ask when her every thought is of Kirika, and her every moment anguished.

**17 tears**

Kirika knows her tears to be useless, but can't stop; there is no one left to care what she does.

**18 speed**

Mireille's heart is speeding--with fear, adrenaline, anticipation, (hope)--as she meets Kirika's eyes over the barrel of her gun.

**19 wind**

Mireille's hair is wind-tossed, her cheeks flushed; she fusses at her reflection in the mirror, and it is not Kirika's place to tell Mireille that she is beautiful.

**20 freedom**

She is free of mystery, and Noir, and Kirika; Mireille should be happier than she is.

**21 life**

For a single moment, there is nothing more between them than this: they have won, and they are alive.

**22 jealousy**

Leave Noir to the mystics and zealots and storymakers; Mireille follows Kirika because she will not leave her partner to (obsessive) (adoring) Chloe's care.

**23 hands**

They are nothing alike, but for their hands: strong, and calloused, and washed in blood.

**24 taste**

Mireille's lipstick tastes waxy on Kirika's tongue; don't chew it off, Mireille chides.

**25 devotion**

Mireille reminds herself that Kirika follows her out of necessity, and not devotion--and that she should not care, in either case.

**26 forever**

Mireille does not believe in forever--and free of Noir, and her promise, she waits for Kirika to leave (her).

**27 blood**

Blood is drying on Mireille's cheek; Kirika can remember aiming between her eyes, and pulling the trigger.

**28 sickness**

Chloe decides that Mireille is a sickness, infecting Kirika with weakness and confusion.

**29 melody**

Kirika hates the pocket watch, and it's haunting melody--but she deserves no less than to listen to it's song as it sits in the curve of Mireille's palm.

**30 star**

Kirika does not wish upon falling stars, but wonders: is Mireille making a wish, staring at the night sky?

**31 home**

Much later, she is surprised to realize that home has become wherever they are, together.

**32 confusion**

Pain clouds her thoughts, leaves her reeling and confused--but Mireille's arms wind about her, and Kirika knows herself to be safe.

**33 fear**

Asleep, Kirika's face twists with fear; Mireille watches her from the foot of the bed, hands clasped, and does not try to wake her.

**34 lightning/thunder**

Kirika is surprised the first time Mireille stays at her side all night, waiting out the storm.

**35 bonds  
**  
History, and death, and Noir: Mireille chafes at the bonds between them.

**36 market**

Mireille can spends hours shopping, but buys little--when she runs, she can bring nothing with her but her gun, and Kirika.

**37 technology**

Her gun is modern, efficient, and comfortable in Mireille's hand; Kirika is a primitive, able to kill with nothing but her bare hands--Mireille shudders delicately and steps around the body on the ground.

**38 gift**

Kirika can remember every gift Mireille has given her: they are few, but precious.

**39 smile**

Mireille can smile at a man moments before she kills him; Kirika wonders if Mireille will do the same to her (she wouldn't mind).

**40 innocence**

They are alike in their sins, but sometimes, Mireille is surprised at how innocent Kirika is--a child, still.

**41 completion**

She has her answers now, but Kirika doesn't feel complete; she thinks of all that she's done (Mireille) and feels as thought she might shatter all over again.

**42 clouds**

Though clouds pass in front of the sun, and turn the day dull and grey, Kirika can't bear the thought of staying inside--and while she sighs and frowns, neither can Mireille.

**43 sky**

It feels unnatural that the sky should be clear and bright--vast and untouchable, still--when they turn their guns upon each other in truth.

**44 heaven**

Heaven could offer no greater bliss than the warm sun overhead, and the soothing ocean breeze on her skin; Mireille peers at Kirika over her sunglasses, and sighs: relax.

**45 hell**

She had stormed the gates of hell for this girl, but Mireille finds herself at a loss at the thought of what to do with her now.

**46 sun**

Kirika is heavy and limp in Mireille's arms; the sun in blinding overhead, and burns in the endless sand--it would be easy to loosen her aching arms and leave Kirika to the sun's mercy.

**47 moon**

Young lovers stroll beneath the full moon; they pay no notice to Kirika and Mireille as they pass (there is blood smudged on the toe of Kirika's shoe, still wet).

**48 waves**

The waves lap at Kirika's toes; she can't laugh (not yet), but shyly smiles at Mireille--who smiles back, as bright and warm as the sun.

**49 hair**

Mireille's hair is spread out across the pillow; blonde strands catch at the corner of Kirika's curling lips.

**50 supernova**

Like a supernova behind her eyelids: all light and pain, and Kirika remembers--(and loses everything).

**--end**


End file.
